Peter Bromberg's Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To continue to develop professionally and meet others in the field with similar interests and goals

What is your primary information specialty? Community engagement and youth services

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Alive and well – can’t ask for much more.

Fill in the blank: My wife and 3 children are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My mother

What author do you want to have dinner with? Walter Dean Myers

What inspired you to become a librarian? The opportunity to help steer children in a positive direction at a crucial point in their development while also helping adults reach further to fulfill their potential

Name something that few colleagues know about you. When I was 8 years old, I was in the movie Separate, but Equal, starring Sidney Poitier.

Erin Huffman

Position: Youth Librarian

Name of library:: Westerville (Ohio) Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet new people, learn valuable leadership skills, and find my place to connect in ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Children’s and teen collections, and early literacy education

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Seeking opportunity for growth within youth services in a public library setting

Fill in the blank: My son is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My parents—for working so hard, always putting others before themselves, and teaching me what matters most in life

What’s your favorite place in the library? The local history department. I love directing children and adults to this extensive resource in our library, especially when they haven’t yet discovered it!

What author do you want to have dinner with? Georgette Heyer

What inspired you to become a librarian? My hunger for information and education and desire to share my passion with others

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest. It has helped me connect with so many others in the profession, has broadened my programming ideas, and continually sparks creativity.

Ariana Hussain

Position: Children’s Librarian

Name of library: DC Public Library, Washington, D.C.

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To become more familiar with the various committees and groups within ALA, become an active participant and more effective leader, and to serve the library profession and our constituents

What is your primary information specialty? Children’s services, but I like reference services in most departments.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? To be honest, I’m not quite sure. I love children’s services, but I’d like to explore other areas in the field.

Fill in the blank: Family and friends are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Barbara Gordon. It’s cliché, I know, but she is the ultimate librarian. As Batgirl she could hold her own with the boys, and after she was paralyzed she didn’t let it stop her, using her skills, resources, and intelligence to become Oracle, the ultimate information broker. She’s a great analogy for library transformation.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The children’s room, especially when it’s quiet, which is almost never

What author do you want to have dinner with? Patricia C. Wrede

What inspired you to become a librarian? During my undergraduate years, a T.A. told me to take inventory of what I did and spent my money on after graduation. When I found myself collecting rare and beloved children’s books, that’s when I knew.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I went to Japan to see my favorite Japanese rock group play in a massive reunion concert.

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest. It’s almost always the best and quickest way to find crafts for children’s programs. Also, it’s great for brainstorming!

Bianna Ine Ryan

Position: Research Librarian

Name of library: John T. Hughes Library at the Defense Intelligence Agency/National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C.

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? Networking is always a goal. Additionally, I would like to enhance my project management skills and work on endeavors outside of the “traditional” library realm.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself working diligently to make meaningful contributions to the intelligence community.

Who’s your hero? My grandmothers are my heroes. My maternal grandmother was a community activist from her kitchen table. My paternal grandmother has a quiet strength that exudes authority without words.

What’s your favorite place in the library? I like being in the middle of the floor. This is where I feel like I’m in the thick of everything.

What author do you want to have dinner with? J. California Cooper

What inspired you to become a librarian? I majored in legal studies as an undergraduate. Our professors had a series of alumni come and speak to us about alternative legal professions. Law librarianship was one of them. I asked the law librarian if I could have a tour of her library, and the rest is history.

What is your favorite social media tool? Facebook. I love to travel, I’ve lived/made friends in 4 states, and I have family in 3 countries. This is how I stay connected with everyone.

Matt Krueger

Position: YA Services Librarian

Name of library: Irondequoit Public Library, Rochester, New York

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To learn how I can have the greatest positive impact on people’s lives through libraries. I’d also love to be on the Newbery Committee some day!

What is your primary information specialty? Children’s and young adult literature

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Writing a book (and working at the library)!

Fill in the blank: Mental Floss magazine is my favorite!

Who are your heroes? My parents

What’s your favorite place in the library? The graphic novels section

What authors do you want to have dinner with? Adam Rex Mac Barnett

What inspired you to become a librarian? Reading Roald Dahl’s The Witches to my 5th grade students.

What is your favorite social media tool? My big mouth, because I love talking to people!

Aaron LaFromboise

Position: Library Technician

Name of library: Medicine Spring Library, Browning, Montana

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet professionals outside of the college library realm and to be introduced to ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Reference

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working at Medicine Spring Library and creating a space that is cherished and fostered by the community

Fill in the blank: Frogs are my favorite! Frogs!

Who are your heroes? My mom and my grandma are my heroes. They taught me to keep moving forward to make myself and my world a better place.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The archive room

What author do you want to have dinner with? Edwidge Danticat

What inspired you to become a librarian? I love learning and I love to help people. Working in the library has fulfilled both of these passions.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I was the only girl in my father’s family until I was 24.

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest because it helps fulfill my creative side. I love seeing what other people are creating, and I love the idea of teaching others how to hone their skills.

Hanna Lee

Position: Youth Services Librarian

Name of library: Princeton (N.J.) Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet other passionate, diverse library folk and do something amazing!

What is your primary information specialty? Youth services

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Connecting youth of all ages to resources while continuing to challenge myself and learn new skills

Fill in the blank: Smiling is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My grandmother. She’s pretty feisty.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The teen center when our knitting group is there—incredible view, comfy chairs, and great company.

What author do you want to have dinner with? Ronald Takaki

What inspired you to become a librarian? I couldn’t stop going to the library, so I figured I might as well try to get paid to do it—and I get to work with children and teens!

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I’m a pro at Wii tennis.

Rebecca Leonhard

Position: Director

Name of library: Leysin American School Libraries, Leysin, Switzerland

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet wonderful new librarians, improve my leadership and librarian skills, and to learn about the amazing things being done at other libraries

What is your primary information specialty? Access services and emerging technologies in libraries

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working in a tenure-track position at a college or university library

Fill in the blank: Koalas and post-its are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? The Lorax

What author do you want to have dinner with? Hunter S. Thompson

What inspired you to become a librarian? I was intrigued by the idea of being surrounded by books all day, every day.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I have a library card for the Szabó Ervin Library in Budapest, Hungary.

What is your favorite social media tool? Facebook. It’s a great way to keep up with family and long-lost friends.

Kate Leuschke Blinn

Position: Academic Outreach Librarian

Name of library: Lilly Library, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To get to know other young innovative colleagues and become more familiar with ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Research help and library instruction for the social sciences

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Still helping students and trying new instruction ideas.

Fill in the blank: Sunny days are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Mr. Rogers.

What’s your favorite place in the library? I love our rocking chairs.

What author do you want to have dinner with? Alice Munro

What inspired you to become a librarian? I was inspired by how much I loved working with people when I worked in independent bookstores, and by my husband’s story about one of his college librarians who also taught classes and led study-abroad trips.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I traveled to six continents before I was 30.

What is your favorite social media tool? I use Feedly to keep up with lots of different kinds of blogs.

María de Lurdy (Mari) Martínez Serrano

Position: Spanish Services Associate

Name of library: St. Helena (Calif.) Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To advocate for more multicultural diversity and cultural competency among the library workforce, collections, and programming

What is your primary information specialty? Creating Spanish/bilingual programs and Spanish collection development

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? With an MLIS and consulting libraries on Spanish materials collections and programming

Fill in the blank: Pop-up books are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Pura Belpré

What author do you want to have dinner with? Mayra Santos-Febres, a Puerto Rican author with lots of great stories

What inspired you to become a librarian? The reactions of the children on my bilingual storytime. Their eyes sparkled! Librarians can change the world.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. My real name. Latinos always have long names. I shorten mine by age 5.

What is your favorite social media tool? Instagram. I’m obsessed with hashtags.

Joy Keller McGehee

Position: Science Outreach Librarian

Name of library: Benedictine University Library, Lisle, Illinois

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To hone my leadership skills relevant to LIS, become actively involved in LIS professional organizations, and get to know others who share my professional interests

What is your primary information specialty? Information research, instruction, reference, and user services, with a special interest in science, health sciences, foods, and nutrition

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In a progressive environment, learning, growing, and applying my diverse transferable skill set from prior career and international experiences to create innovative information solutions to meet user needs.

Fill in the blank: Reading science and health non-fiction is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Linda Smith, my advisor in the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign LEEP program

What’s your favorite place in the library? In a computer classroom helping students or faculty members discover and learn to navigate the wealth of available information resources

What author do you want to have dinner with? Must I choose just one? May I opt instead for a dinner party with Oliver Sacks, Mary Roach, and Michael Pollan?

What inspired you to become a librarian? Working alongside expert medical librarians/information researchers who supported my work in a prior career phase gave me a unique appreciation for the value of professional information services.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I joke that I work in a library so I don’t feel compelled to take all the books home.

Laura Miller

Position: Freelance Library Marketer

City, State: Richmond, Virginia

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To gain library leadership experience as well as to network with up-and-coming library professionals

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working somewhere between China and the US. It’s unpredictable at the moment but exciting.

Fill in the blank: Free candy is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy

What’s your favorite place in the library? The research commons, a space designed for 21st century scholarship with advanced technology and equipment

What author do you want to have dinner with? Condoleeza Rice

What inspired you to become a librarian? The core mission of the library is inspiring to me: providing and supporting access to knowledge, strengthening literacy, building communities, and reducing the digital divide.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I volunteered for NYPL’s Correctional Services program for a bit: I delivered books to inmates on Rikers Island. Eyeopening experience indeed.

What is your favorite social media tool? WhoTalking. It’s a great social media tool to search for trends, hot topics, and conversations about anything in real time.

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To network with my peers and learn valuable strategies for problem solving

What is your primary information specialty? Accessible library services for individuals with disabilities

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I would like to continue my work in libraries and have a successful career working with children and young adults

Fill in the blank: Milk glass vases are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Katniss Everdeen

What’s your favorite place in the library? My favorite place in the library is the recording studio where I sometimes get to narrate books for young adults with visual, physical, or reading disabilities.

What author do you want to have dinner with? Bill Bryson

What inspired you to become a librarian? I have a passion for reading and books, and I am committed to ensuring that information is accessible to all.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I backpacked through Europe as an undergrad.

What is your favorite social media tool? Facebook. It connects us with others in a way that takes the pressure off of communicating.

Tezeno Lynette Roberson

Position: Senior Librarian

Name of library: Dallas Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To continue to learn and grow as a librarian, interact with other librarians, and develop more leadership skills

What is your primary information specialty? Reference

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? As an assistant library director or director of a small system

Fill in the blank: My Dog J is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My mother

What’s your favorite place in the library? At the circulation desk, helping patrons

What author do you want to have dinner with? Maya Angelou

What inspired you to become a librarian? All the other wonderful librarians who’ve helped me throughout my life

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I practice yoga and hope to become a yoga teacher someday.

What is your favorite social media tool? Facebook. I can’t seem to escape it.

Ben Rodriguez

Position: Technology Manager

Name of library: Allstate Investments, Chicago

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To expand my network amongst librarians, increase my number of friends in the field, and offer solutions to pressing problems

What is your primary information specialty? Investment data born digitally

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself as a director or vice president within the field of technology and employing a significant number of librarians in non-traditional librarian roles.

Fill in the blank: The 10th Doctor is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Anyone who has succeeded in overcoming an internal/personal obstacle

What’s your favorite place in the library? The stacks

What author do you want to have dinner with? Robertson Davies

What inspired you to become a librarian? I enjoy improving processes and improving service delivery.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I’m hypercompetitive but don’t mind losing.

What is your favorite social media tool? Twitter at conferences, but I am a fan of any social media tool that makes life easier.

Leila June Rod-Welch

Position: Outreach Services Librarian/Assistant Professor

Name of library: Rod Library, Cedar Falls, Iowa

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet others and become a better librarian

What is your primary information specialty? Library outreach and reference

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working at Rod Library and making it a more sought-after destination

Fill in the blank: Wood carving is my favorite!

What’s your favorite place in the library? The tree room in our youth collection

What author do you want to have dinner with? Ferdowsi, the author of the Shahnameh, who lived in the 10th century and kept the Persian language alive. He is an inspiration for many Iranians.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I enjoy painting and woodcarving.

Jillian Elyse Rudes

Position: Library Media Specialist

Name of library: The Aaron School, New York City, New York

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? My goals as an Emerging Leader are to enhance my leadership skills, to support the AASL, and to network with librarians.

What is your primary information specialty? Young adult literature

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In five years I see myself teaching in a school library, designing and building school libraries, and advocating for school libraries.

What’s your favorite place in the library? Sci-fi/fantasy

What author do you want to have dinner with? Anne Rice

What inspired you to become a librarian? My love of literature and teaching inspired me to become a librarian.

What is your favorite social media tool? My favorite social media tool is Twitter because I enjoy tweeting about the books that I am currently reading.

Soraya Silverman-Montano

Position: Youth Services Librarian

Name of library:: Summerlin Library, Las Vegas, Nevada

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To gain new insights, learn leadership skills, and network with peers and professionals, and become more heavily involved with ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Youth services

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Hopefully an assistant branch manager, leading to a branch manager and eventual youth services coordinator

Fill in the blank: The Princess Bride is my favorite videogame!

Who’s your hero? My mom. She’s the most incredible person in the world.

What author do you want to have dinner with? Scott Westerfeld or Mo Willems

What inspired you to become a librarian? My love of reading and how beneficial it was for me growing up

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I am an avid manga/anime/comic/videogame fan and enjoy cosplaying at conventions.

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest, because there are so many great ideas that I can pull from it.

Kai Alexis Smith

Position: Adjunct Reference Librarian

Name of library:: CUNY Graduate Center, New York City

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To refine my leadership and project management skills while broadening my horizons through learning from new relationships with colleagues, and be more active in ALA and mentoring

What is your primary information specialty? Reference services with a subject specialty in art, art history, and architecture, and an interest in the digital humanities

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In a leadership position within my institution and in national and local library associations

Fill in the blank: Anything with dark chocolate in it is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My father. He immigrated to this country with very little and achieved a lot.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The reference desk

What authors do you want to have dinner with? Louisa May Alcott, Oprah, and Alice Walker

Name something that few colleagues know about you. As a child, I lived on Dewey Street.

What is your favorite social media tool? Skype. I have family and friends scattered all over the world and found it easier to stay in touch this way.

Ashley Smolinski

Position: MSIS Graduate Student at SUNY University, Albany, New York

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To make a difference, to meet great people, and to bring something creative and new to the table

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I’d like to teach information literacy to undergraduates while writing my first children’s book.

Fill in the blank: Dark chocolate is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? My husband, Jason

What’s your favorite place in the library? The children’s section

What author do you want to have dinner with? Kate DiCamillo

What inspired you to become a librarian? The profession combines the best aspects of teaching, technology, and literature.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I love to write music and play piano and guitar.

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest! It helps me to collect my ideas and think creatively.

Morgan Sohl

Position: Reference Librarian

Name of library: Driftwood Public Library, Lincoln City, Oregon

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To get more experience in leadership and management and get involved in professional organizations to advocate for the importance of libraries

What is your primary information specialty? Reference, reader’s advisory, cataloging, and collection development

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working in a leadership role in a public library and continuing to expand service to my community

Fill in the blank: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are my favorite!

Who are your heroes? My two moms. They are smart, accomplished, interesting, and kind.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The reference desk. I like helping patrons find the perfect book or accessing the information they are searching for.

What authors do you want to have dinner with? David Sedaris or Sarah Vowell

What inspired you to become a librarian? I was interested in librarianship because it combines my love of books, service, and community.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I have learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and didn’t learn to read until I was 11 years old. Reading opened up the world to me.

What are your favorite social media tools? Facebook and Pinterest. Facebook for its ability to connect me with friends and family who live far away, and Pinterest for inspiring me to be more creative in my life.

Kelly Stade

Position: Senior Librarian

Name of library: Hennepin County Library, St. Louis Park (Minn.) Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To engage with and be inspired by library leaders from across the country

What is your primary information specialty? Youth services and community connections

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Managing a Hennepin County Library branch library and building community and library support

Fill in the blank: Summer is my favorite!

What’s your favorite place in the library? The children’s area

What author do you want to have dinner with? Sophie Kinsella

What inspired you to become a librarian? It is energizing to connect people to ideas, programs, and the community to spark learning and creativity.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I love cooking and baking.

What is your favorite social media tool? Insagram. It is so much fun to share glimpses of my life with others and see the artistic pictures others share in return.

Jean Stock

Position: Library Media Specialist

Name of library: Larchmont Elementary Library, Mount Laurel, New Jersey

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To learn how to assemble and motivate a team that can develop a great idea and take it from dream to reality

What is your primary information specialty? Children’s services

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to become an accomplished communicator, collaborator, and curator.

Who’s your hero? My father, who was always optimistic no matter what the situation

What’s your favorite place in the library? On the floor in front of a bookshelf where I can help students discover books they want to read

What author do you want to have dinner with? Malcolm Gladwell

What inspired you to become a librarian? The potential, through the library, to give all children the chance to read, explore, and create

Name something that few colleagues know about you. Few colleagues know that I spent a summer researching stream ecology.

What is your favorite social media tool? Pinterest. I can always find a pin that inspires me to try something new professionally and personally.

Sam Suber

Position: Cataloging and Metadata Specialist

Name of library: Montana State Library, Helena

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To gain better communication skills to lead, to understand organizational behavior, and to tackle project management

What’s your favorite place in the library? Anywhere I can kick my shoes off unnoticed

What author do you want to have dinner with? Jane Austen

What inspired you to become a librarian? Librarianship’s equal opportunity for learning and service

What is your favorite social media tool? Tumblr. It’s the best baby that Twitter and WordPress didn’t know they had.

Monnee Tong

Position: Librarian

Name of library: San Diego Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To be a more informed and articulate advocate for libraries and librarians, to learn more about being a leader, and to meet lots of intelligent and inspiring professionals!

What is your primary information specialty? Art, music, and recreation (the 700s!)

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself becoming a leader—as a mentor, manager, and activist in public librarianship.

Fill in the blank: San Diego sunsets are my favorite!

Who are your heroes? My parents. They immigrated to the US with few resources and no English-language skills, and they worked hard to support me and my sisters every step of the way.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The majestic view of the front lobby from the escalator

What author do you want to have dinner with? Paula Yoo, whose book Good Enough reminds me so much of myself as a teenager

What inspired you to become a librarian? Free access for all! I was inspired by a library’s role in providing free access to information, learning, culture, and entertainment.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. My name means “dream” in Chinese.

What is your favorite social media tool? Instagram, because I used to edit my photos on my home computer. Now I can do it on the go with a few swipes.

Erica Winter Tyler

Position: Circulation Assistant

Name of library: Charlotte (N.C.) School of Law

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To build a strong network with other LIS students and professionals and learn more about the structure of the ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Emerging technologies

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope to be working with digital content management. I would love to work with archival materials. Or ruling the world from a small Polynesian island with my army of retro-robots that run on discarded library catalog cards.

Fill in the blank: Cheesy pop culture references are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Ruth Benedict. She was instrumental in paving the way for female anthropologists.

What’s your favorite place in the library? The mythology and folklore section

What inspired you to become a librarian? Like so many others, I am an avid reader and grew up going to the library every weekend.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I wish I had Christopher Walken’s voice for a day. I can just imagine him explaining how to reserve a book online.

What is your favorite social media tool? Skype! It allows me to stay connected with friends in various countries for free. That’s awesome.

Angela Van Batavia

Position: Library Media Specialist

Name of library: English Landing Elementary School Library, Kansas City, Missouri

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To expand my library knowledge base, build a network of professional colleagues, and gain a better understanding of the similarities and differences between public and school librarians

What is your primary information specialty? Implementation and use of educational online resources

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working with students in online research and computer literacy

Fill in the blank: Coffee, running, and Burt’s Bees chapstick are my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Margaret Sanger

What author do you want to have dinner with? Sherman Alexie

What inspired you to become a librarian? Books that I used to read when I was younger that made me forget about the things I didn’t have

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I want to twirl batons for the Oklahoma Sooners marching band at halftime of one of their home football games while wearing a handmade, crystal-encrusted leotard.

What is your favorite social media tool? Twitter. I am guaranteed to learn something new that I can implement in my library.

Shawn Walsh

Position: Emerging Services and Technologies Librarian

Name of library: Madison (Ohio) Public Library

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To network and become more active in ALA

What is your primary information specialty? Geek culture

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? As a library director or department head

Fill in the blank: Kimchi is my favorite!

Who’s your hero? Fred Rogers, he made everyone his neighbor!

What’s your favorite place in the library? The teen/tween section

What author do you want to have dinner with? Edgar Rice Burroughs

What inspired you to become a librarian? Where else but a library can all my different interests be helpful to others?

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I hate Oreos.

What is your favorite social media tool? Facebook. How else would I know when my friends’ and family’s birthdays are?

What are your goals as an Emerging Leader? To meet other new professionals and discover opportunities to become involved in ALA and ACRL

What is your primary information specialty? Reference, instruction, and outreach

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Continuing to help the students at Rutgers-Camden develop their research skills, and working with colleagues to take advantage of emerging technologies and develop new outreach initiatives

Fill in the blank: Sci-fi is my favorite!

What’s your favorite place in the library? The reference desk

What inspired you to become a librarian? As a college writing tutor, I saw how important one-on-one instruction was to undergraduate students.

Name something that few colleagues know about you. I have seen more than 10 different film adaptations of Hamlet, including one in Russian and one made in 1921.

Applications are being accepted for two expiring terms on the ALA Endowment Trustees and one newly expanded position. The deadline for receiving applications is April 1.

ala 55m Grainger Engineering Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

2014 marked the lowest amount of physical checkouts from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign libraries in the past decade. But Associate University Librarian for User Services Susan Searing says e-resource usage is “rocketing” up.

On January 29, Sens. Reed (D-R.I.), Cochran (R-Mich.), and Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced S. 312, the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries Act (SKILLS Act), that would improve students’ literacy skills through effective school library programs. Ask your senators to support dedicated funding for effective school library programs by cosponsoring S.312 and attaching its provisions to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

cqrcengage 1h The painting, which Dr. Richard Resnick donated to the Trumbull Library, shows Mother Teresa and other women marching and holding signs.

City officials have temporarily removed private artwork displayed in the Trumbull (Conn.) Library to protect the town from possible litigation after concerns were raised that the painting infringes copyright with the use of Mother Teresa’s image.

nbcconnecticut 1h

Jacqueline WoodsonNational Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson discusses the importance of childhood and diversity in literature in this exclusive American Libraries interview.

americanlibrariesmagazine 2h Birds hover over a statue of Mikhail Dostoevsky, located by the entrance of the Leninka library.

Founded in 1862, the Russian State Library (the “Leninka”) in Moscow is home to 45 million books and materials. It has a total of 40 readings rooms, housing 1,732 seats, and is one of the five largest libraries in the world.

themoscowtimes 3d President Barack Obama

The White House on February 27 released a discussion draft of proposed legislation to protect consumer privacy online. The Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights Act would require companies to provide clear notice of how they use data, ensure data isn’t reused in other contexts, and give consumers a method to have their data deleted.

"Science suggests a funnier workplace should be a more effective one, encouraging positive mood and a playful, open approach. But much of the evidence to date rests on theoretical argument or lab experiments. Now a new study of genuine team meetings shows that laughter begets laughter and that bouts of humour really can clear the ground for new approaches and better performance."-------------------------------------------Moments after the laughter died down from a joke, teams were more likely to engage in productive, open behaviours, such as proposing new ideas, asking questions, or offering praise or encouraging participation by others. This fits with the broaden-and-build model of positive states, where a good mood opens us up to other people and different ideas - all useful in a collaborative context.

Great advice on how to create and communicate within a flat organizational structure. Benefits of doing so, etc.

hold people accountable, to really restrict the number of things that you say to them, and to decide on the one or two things that are the most important. And then when you meet with them, you always bring back the conversation to that one thing. You have to do that consistently for over a year before you start having an impact.

More surprisingly, the most important ingredients for a smart team remained constant regardless of its mode of interaction: members who communicated a lot, participated equally and possessed good emotion-reading skills.

This last finding was another surprise. Emotion-reading mattered just as much for the online teams whose members could not see one another as for the teams that worked face to face. What makes teams smart must be not just the ability to read facial expressions, but a more general ability, known as “Theory of Mind,” to consider and keep track of what other people feel, know and believe.

Golden Globes voters have always been careful to honor a wide-ranging group of winners, partly as a way to assure high-wattage attendance; still, the box score from Sunday reveals just how drastically the TV landscape has changed. All of the awards in TV categories went to first-time winners, with the big four networks coming away empty-handed. Once dominated by the broadcast networks and a handful of cable channels, television is now a wide-open field. Any company with the resources to produce quality programming and a distribution platform can compete for viewers. And awards.

"This isn't against libraries. Hell, my wife has a library card. I live, like, half a mile from a library," Voelker said. "The problem is, it's a matter of priorities. Libraries aren't bad, but in lean financial times, you can't be spending all your money on luxuries like libraries when you have other critical needs, like roads and jails.""

Wayne Onkst, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, standing a few feet away in the courthouse, bristled when he was asked whether libraries were a luxury.

"I don't think most people see libraries as a luxury," he said. "Not the people who need a library for their only Internet access. Not the little kids whose only literacy skills before kindergarten come from a library. Not the local government leaders who are trying to recruit companies that want a literate, educated work force. None of them consider libraries a luxury."